


Three Strands of Gray

by tqpannie



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, First Kiss, Older Man/Younger Woman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-18 01:43:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9360083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tqpannie/pseuds/tqpannie
Summary: Daisy and Phil have a long talk about a lot of things including the three strands of gray in her hair.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I got the idea for this from listening to She Used to Be Mine by Sara Bareilles https://youtu.be/53GIADHxVzM
> 
> I could see Daisy relating to this and maybe looking back at Skye.
> 
> I kinda have a follow up to this story if people don't hate it to much.

Daisy shivered when she threw off her blankets and grabbed her phone to shut off her alarm. She’d slept in her van again last night but the weather was growing too cold for that and she would need to make other arrangements soon. The base was full, her room long gone, and until she received a paycheck and found a flat her van was all she had. .

Daisy ran her hand over her face and reviewed her phone for messages that came in while she slept. The first one was from Elena asking to talk to her about a plan that would be mutually beneficial for them both. She answered that one quickly, giving Elena a time to meet on base for coffee, and asked her to tell Mack good morning with a winking emoji at the end. The second message was from Coulson asking if she wanted to train with him. Daisy took a moment and debated before pushing past her nerves to text back yes. Coulson responded almost immediately asking where she was and she had reluctantly texted back him stating that she and Thor were parked in the Walmart parking lot. He’d simply texted back he would be there with coffee in twenty minutes.

Daisy stood and stretched, her palms rested flat against the roof, and it hit her that for the first time since they met she didn't know where Coulson slept. She pulled on her clothes, packed her duffle, and she stumbled when her toe nudged the large cardboard box sitting in the middle of the floor. She glared at it  
as it reminded her how she had broken down last night sorting through those memories. She had gone through an entire box of Kleenex and even now her eye felt swollen and puffy. Simmons had gathered as much stuff as she could from Daisy’s bunk before the new recruit had taken it over and had passed along the box before she left base last night.

Her red dress had been folded neatly on top. She had run her hand over the cotton material and remembered how she felt riding in Lola with the top off and Coulson in his gray suit and aviator glasses. Daisy had felt it for the first time that day and was unprepared for the attraction.. Her palms were sweaty, her heart was racing, and there was a tug behind her navel when he flirted with her. The sound of Coulson's voice, his trademark I have a sexy secret smirk, his eyes that seemed to change from blue to green,and for some reason ungodly reason his bare wrists were a distraction. If it had just been physical it would have been easy to ignore but Phil Coulson was kind, he listened to her about Mike, and he was smart. She had reminded herself not to get attached, that she had purpose for letting herself be found, and so she had taken a breath and continued flirting as Lola lifted off the ground. 

The items underneath the dress all had a specific memory attached to them. A book Coulson had brought her back from a recruiting trip to China written in Chinese because she was learning to speak and read the language. A pen from that hotel they stayed at after they dropped out of the sky in Lola. A mini golf score card with her and Trips name on it from the night they escaped the base. Trip had noticed her frustration and worry over Coulson and took her to play mini golf and get a drink. Trip had confided about his crush on Simmons and she had trounced him at golf. They had drank too many beers at the pub across the street and Hunter and Mack had to come get them. 

Most of that stuff had made her smile because there were good times and she wouldn't trade a moment of the good. She wouldn't even go back and change the fact she was Inhuman because it was who she was now. It was going through the pictures in the box that had broken her. 

Daisy picked up her toothbrush and toothpaste,a bottle of water, and her hairbrush before moving to the drivers seat. She quickly cleaned her teeth, raised her mouth out with water, and cracked the door open to spit. She picked up the brush and adjusted the visor downward. She stared for a moment at her reflection in the mirror, there were small frown lines on her forehead, and her eyes were puffy. She picked up the brush, pulled it through her hair, and gasp when she saw something white reflected in the mirror. She put down her brush and bit her lip as she found three strands of white hair in the layer next to her ear.

Daisy was so engrossed and horrified by those three strands of hair she didn't even notice when Coulson opened the passenger door and slid into the seat next to hers. 

“You named your van Thor,” Coulson huffed as he set the tray holding the coffee on the dashboard. “Daisy?”

“My mom wasn't gray,” Daisy sighed, not looking at Coulson, and she worried her lip between her teeth. “When I saw my Dad last he didn't have any either.” 

She kept her hand tangled in her hair and turned to face Coulson. She frowned at the confused look on his face and cursed softly.

“Gray hair, Coulson.” She leaned closer to him and tilted her head so he could see what she was talking about. “Look.”

Coulson leaned in and his finger pushed some of her hair aside. Daisy could hear him breathing and she shivered slightly when his thumb brushed the shell of her ear.

“My mom tried to kill me by literally sucking years of my life from me,” Daisy rambled. “I didn't have gray hair after that.” 

Coulson jerked back slightly at the memory and Daisy waved her hand about and continued, “I have been away from you for six months and gray hair. I don't want to even think about what that means.”

Coulson opened his mouth to speak and she shook her head. He studied her for a moment and simply handed her the coffee and took his own. Daisy followed his movements, studied the lines on his face, and when his his gaze returned to her she tried to decipher the look in his eyes.

“Simmons, saved a bunch of stuff from my bunk,” Daisy began, knowing it seemed like she was switching topics but she forced herself to continue. “It had a bunch of Skye’s stuff in it.”

“Except Hula Girl,” Coulson said softly, nodding at the figure on the console,”You couldn't leave her behind.” 

“The thing is,” Daisy continued. “Most things I was okay for even the miniature golf score card from the night Trip and I snuck off base.”

Coulson raised his eyebrow and huffed, “When did you sneak off base?”

Daisy shook her head and reached over to tap his arm, “Coulson, I am trying to tell you something...explain something,” She paused and closed her fingers around his wrist for a moment. “Just it...might not make sense...but let me.”

“It was the pictures that sent me over the edge,” Daisy picked up the photos and handed them to Coulson. “Most of these were pictures of Skye but apparently Hunter managed to get a few of Me too. He sent the pictures of me and you after he left.”

She watched as Coulson flipped through the pictures, he chuckled a couple of times, and was quiet when he got to the ones of the two of them. The pictures were innocent, Daisy knew this, but there was something intimate about them that she wasn't sure how he was going to react to.

“Why do you keep referring to Skye like she’s someone else?” Coulson’s voice sounded thick and he wasn't looking at her. “She’s part of you.” 

Daisy took a drink of her coffee, “I still remember that girl but she changed into this,” Daisy took her hand and motioned from her waist up to her head. “Skye doesn't have gray hair or this need to take control back by fighting. We are the same person but sometimes I’d like to rewrite a few chapters of the story. Happier endings for Skye.” 

“What would you change for Skye?” Coulson’s voice cracked and he cleared his throat. “What would you rewrite.” 

“I’d rewrite small things, maybe been honest with you from the start,” Daisy sighed and tried to lighten the mood. “Maybe not let you hear me say bang after I pulled the trigger when I was learning to shoot.”

Daisy was startled by the bark of laughter that escaped Coulson. It seemed to come from somewhere deep inside him and his head fell back against the seat. His entire body seemed to shake with mirth and she raised her eyebrow as he turned his head to look at her.

“Of all the things you could change its saying bang that sticks in your mind the most?”

“It's mostly small things I told you,” Daisy sighed. “I have forgotten my entire point.” 

“I think,” Coulson took a long drink of his coffee and frowned. “You were trying to blame me for your gray hair.” 

“Coulson, I didn't leave because I was sad about Lincoln. I grieved but I was under no illusions about him-he was going to leave me. Telling me he loved me was a way to--" Daisy snorted at the surprise in Coulson’s eyes. “Yeah, I know Mack told Elena and she told me much later.”

Daisy ran her hand through her hair and they sipped their coffee in silence. She wasn't sure how to phrase the next part right or why those three gray hairs had set this whole thing in motion. She studied Coulson closely and wondered if she should continue this avenue of conversation or not. She had no idea where his head was now or where his heart was for that matter. 

“I left because I couldn't sign the Accords. It wasn't like when you put me on the Index, Coulson.” Daisy took another sip of coffee. “I trusted you. I didn't want to put a tracker on or be told when I could use my gift.”

“I knew you wouldn't sign them,” Coulson raised his coffee cup to her. “I told Mack you wouldn't.”

“I didn't just leave because of the Accords. I wanted to take on the Watchdogs and with Shield going public and what happened to the Avengers. I wasn't willing to risk losing anyone…” Daisy swallowed past a lump. “Look there's a pattern of you taking risks for me and it almost getting you killed and I almost killed Mack with my powers. I wanted nothing left to lose.”

Daisy raised her eyes to meet her and he was studying her intently. His gaze never wavered from hers and gooseflesh broke out on her arms from the power of his gaze. He licked his lower lip and turned in passenger seat, placing his feet on the floor between the two seats and set his coffee down. Daisy managed to pull her eyes from his and her hand trembled when Coulson reaches out and traps her hand between his.

“Is it too much being back? I told you we would find a way to make it work if you didn't want to be an agent.” Coulson’s grip on her hand tightened. “What do you need?”

“I need to stay,” Daisy whispered softly, she looked down at their joined hands, and turned her body to face his. “I missed--”

Coulson interrupted her and squeezed her hand again, “We missed--”

“Let me finish, please,” Daisy said loudly.

Coulson moved to release her hand and Daisy slid her free hand over his shaking her head no. He stilled immediately and she watched his eyes dart between her eyes and their hands. 

“I missed you, Coulson. Every single day I missed you.” She blinked several times and whispered, “I am staying because I can't stand missing you anymore. I don't even know where you sleep, everything is different, and you gave me gray hair.”

On the words gray hair Coulson tugged her across the space separating them and she was wrapped in his arms, her knees stung slightly from where she hit the carpeted floor of the van, and she buried her head in his neck fighting tears. It had been so long and she clung to him tighter, she fisted her fingers in his jacket, and just breathed him in. 

“I missed you, everyday,” Coulson breathed against her neck. “I missed your voice and Mack doesn't laugh at my jokes. I missed you so much I didn't even eat properly ask Mack. He was annoying about it.”

“Nothing was as good without you,Coulson.” She whispered against his ear. “Not even coffee.” 

They stayed in each other's arms, it was probably the longest he had held her since Hunter interrupted them, and she shivered when he pulled back to look in her eyes. Their noses brushed and his hand slid down her back. 

“I’m sorry I made your hair gray,” Coulson whispered and rested his forehead against hers and he nudged her nose with his. 

“I am sorry you stopped enjoying food,” Daisy's brushed their noses together again, her heart was racing, and her hand slid to the back of his neck. “And that no one laughed at your jokes.”

Daisy could feel his fingers flex on her back and felt his breath ghost across her lips. Then his lips were brushing hers, just once in a blink and you would miss it kiss. There was a hitch in her breathing and her entire body broke out in goose flesh.

“Daisy, I am going to need you to tell me to not to kiss you in the next three seconds or I am going to kiss you in a very, very non-platonic way,” Coulson whispered against her lips he paused a moment. “Times up.”

Coulson’s lips claimed hers and there was nothing tentative or hesitant about it. His tongue slid along her lower lip and she welcomed him inside, their tongues sliding against each other, and her moan answered his. Their lips joined and parted, one kiss turning into two and then three, and they only parted when Daisy’s stomach grumbled.

They remained where they were, struggling to catch their breath, and neither of them could stop smiling. Daisy ran her thumb over his reddened lips and brushed his lips one more time.

“That was very non-platonic,” Daisy smiled. “Are you sure about this?”

“Depends,” Coulson smirked. “Are you sorry you named your van Thor?” 

“No,” Daisy raised her eyebrow. “But I am prepared to skip training and treat you to breakfast to allow you to forgive me.”

Coulson laughed and she maneuvered herself out of his arms to get back in the driver's seat. She knew they still had things to discuss and this really wasn't going to be the place to do it. 

“I have a bunk that I use on base when I am not on the plane,” Coulson said as Daisy started the van and she looked over at him. “You asked where I slept. Isn't it getting to be too cold to sleep in Thor?”

“It is but don't say his name that way--he is getting us to that diner down on Deer Ave.” Daisy put the van in drive and sighed. “I am hoping that's what Elena wants to discuss over coffee today.”

“The two of you thinking of sharing off base?” Coulson snorted. “Poor Mack.”

She glanced out of the corner of her eye to find him smiling that damn sexy smirk and she resisted the urge to pull over and kiss him senseless again.

“So Daisy are you going to tell me about you and Trip sneaking off base?”

“Over breakfast Coulson,” She smirked at him. “Can't believe Mack and Hunter kept that one quiet since they had to come pick us up because we were too drunk to get back to base.”

They pulled into the parking lot and she smiled as she turned off the van. 

“Hungry, Phil?” Daisy asked and her heart leapt when he smiled.

“Starving for the first time in over six months.”


End file.
